CHAPEL HILL, Tenn. – After losing the District 9-A Championship Game one week ago at home against the Lady Rockets (12-6-0, 6-2-0) in an upset, the Cascade Lady Champions (14-2-1, 8-0-0) exacted revenge in the Region 5-A Championship at Chapel Hill, 2-0, on Thursday night.

Cascade jumped out in front of the Lady Rockets in just the second minute behind the right foot of Lexi Comstock. After Brinlee Collet sent Comstock in behind the Chapel Hill backline with a beautiful through ball, Comstock overpowered the Lady Rockets keeper with a hard and low shot into the left corner to put Cascade ahead 1-0.

“It [scoring early] was huge for our momentum,” Lady Champs’ Head Coach Wendy Williams said postgame. “That’s kind of what happened in the district final against us. They came out and scored quickly to gain the momentum and we just couldn’t get it back. I think it was very important for us to come out strong in the beginning and that was one of the things we discussed before the game was to come out with our level of energy and intensity from the opening kick to own the game.”

Lexi Comstock (8) fires Cascade into an early 1-0 lead in just the 2nd minute with her 29th goal of the season on Thursday.

T-G Staff Photo - Noah Maddox

After nabbing the opening goal, a positional change began to take place. Kaylee Martin, who had started the whole season on the left wing and leads the team with nine assists, was shifted to the backline at right back to help deal with Baeliy Stalnecker after she netted two goals in the district title game. 

“We decided to try and change things up,” Williams said about the tactical switch, “This was our fourth time playing them, so anything that we can do to throw a wrinkle in there is to our advantage.”

The move pushed Brinlee Collet out wide and allowed Kyla Pulley to move up top, pairing with Comstock. Following the early goal, the Lady Champs entered a tough, physical battle as the Lady Rockets settled into the game. 

In the 22nd minute, Comstock nearly doubled Cascade’s lead, but her sizzling effort flew just over the top of the crossbar from 16 yards out. Neither side was able to find a goal before the halftime break.

In the 46th minute, Baylee Cole became the first player to enter the referee’s book when she was shown a yellow card for a tactical foul on Comstock to half a promising attack.

Four minutes later, in the 50th minute, Kyla Pulley’s hustle directly resulted in Cascade finding its game-clinching goal on a lightning-quick counterattack. Initially, Comstock’s long ball over the top to Pulley looked like it would trickle harmlessly into the arms of the keeper, but Pulley instead forced a rushed clearance. Cascade quickly recycled possession, playing Pulley into space to play a cross into the box from the right wing. Her ball on the ground found the onrushing Comstock, whose shot attempt was initially saved before Collet tapped in the rebound for her 10th goal of the season to double the Lady Champs’ lead to 2-0.

“She [Kyla Pulley] always makes something happen. She’ll dig deep, she’ll run fast, and she’s just so determined. We just felt like putting her and Lexi [Comstock] up top was a good combination tonight,” Williams said.

Cascade’s sudden pressure nearly produced a third goal three minutes later, but Winnett’s venomous shot was pushed up and over the crossbar. 

In the 60th minute, Lady Rockets’ Head Coach Jason Ellis was shown a yellow card, and then in the 72nd minute, Cascade’s Kenzie Bledsoe was shown a yellow for a late challenge. In the end, Chapel Hill was unable to mount anything truly threatening on Makenzie Fisher’s goal as the Lady Champs’ keeper kept her 10th clean sheet of the year and sealed Cascade’s third-consecutive Region 5-A title.

“The defense played lights out tonight,” said Williams, “They played amazing. It’s a lot to ask of younger players to control our backline, but they have continually exceeded our expectations this season.”

Chapel Hill will travel to Westview on Saturday for a state sectional matchup.

Cascade returns home and is set to host Huntington with a potential third-straight trip to the State Tournament on the line. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on Saturday.